This is a chaotic, revolutionary moment for the art and business of screen storytelling.
I’m here to talk about how you get better at telling a story and working with the medium -- no matter WHAT kind of screen you want to be on: from Hollywood tentpole to streaming series to DIY indie.
I’ve been a full-time professional writer of movies and television for 25 years. My credits include theatrical features, no-budget indies, TV staff and episodes, original movies for cable and streaming. I’ve won multiple festival prizes and an Emmy.
Let’s talk about the nuts-and-bolts of writing scripts, but also about the process of writing and the reality of trying to be creative in -- and out -- of an incredibly high-stakes business.
You can contact me through: writingforscreens.com
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Makes these videos with movie or tv clips as examples and your channel will blow up
Thank you! I don't use clips partly just because of the time involved in pulling and editing clips and getting rights. But more than that, honestly: while it would be popular and entertaining, I think one of my most important messages is, "Do your thing, your own way, as best you can." I try to be the one teacher who keeps turning his students back toward their own blank page. Nothing matters, in the end, but what you put on that page. And I fear, somewhere unconsciously, we all turn to examples so we don't have to face the blank page. We all look to our favorite movies and shows and books for inspiration and to study. But in the end, no amount of inspiration or study will move you an inch closer to your goal of writing. Only putting something on a blank page. Alone, your own way, as best you can. I want that to be my greatest gift to everyone watching: go write something.
And note this in the outline
Not sure I understand this comment...
@@writingforscreens I thought that if each of the scenes for the outline was accompanied by an applicable verb, one could see if the same "beat" of a verb was getting repetitious. Also, the verbs that apply to the scenes and outline for an action genre, may be less appropriate for a romcom, horror, etc.
@@charlessmyth Ah! That makes sense! Good note.
ok, but let's address the important questions: what is the ice cream cone in the back (a lamp?) and where do I get one?
Yes, it's an old store display - I got it at a vintage-junk store 25 years ago. It has a hole in ther back for the electrical cord if you want to put a light inside.
I like you
Thank you so much! I hope you find my videos helpful. Best of luck with your work.
Why doesn't Hollywood hire such sophisticated screenwriters like you any longer? Because you guys are expensive? No wonder movies nowadays mostly suck.
Thank you, that's kind. But it's also true that there are legitimate reasons to hire writers from other generations, and with other experiences. I'm lucky to have had the opportunities I did :)
Maybe there are two poles: The bureaucrat and the artist. The bureaucrat will only make a judgement call when instructed to do so by the process, and then always choose the option least likely to cause problems. The artist will randomly follow or not follow the process and happy accidents are expected as a side effect of all the blunders. Of course all real people are in between.
And of course there is some bureaucrat in every artist, and even an artist in some bureaucrats.
This is really Educating
I'm really glad it's helpful, thank you!
Great stuff, Glenn! Thank you for taking the time to share your excellent insight.
Thank you!!
This is so good! Thank you! I love this knowledge and wisdom only long experience can provide.
I am so glad it's helpful, thank you!
Wow, where were you? Why I haven`t seen this before? How come so few people? Really cool. Cheers !
Thank you SO much! I'm very grateful, please enjoy!
It's such a pleasure learning about others' organizations for how they write. For me, I can't stand outlining nor do I really need it. I keep that part all in my head with intimate knowledge of the world I'm inhabiting through my thoughts. Once my hands hit the keyboard, they don't stop until life slaps me in the face with responsibilities. Once done, I go over the entire novel and massage it in sections, first through dialog, then details and punctuation. My brain works in strange ways and so far it seems to be serving me well. It's such a long and arduous process but it's a piece of art one can fiddle with for as long as they want and I love every part of it :)
It IS an odd but real pleasure, isn't it? I love hearing about this - I have been collecting "other ways to work" for a livestream on the topic, because the MOST important thing is to find YOUR way. Is it okay if I add this to my collection, and perhaps use it as an example in this one-day livestream?
@@writingforscreens absolutely! I've been listening to lectures by Brandon Sanderson and how he describes the two extremes of methods writers use is Wonderful. The outliner, which appears to have commonality with how you write and the discovery writer who learns about their characters and cultivate their ambitions as they're writing without a clear goal. George R.R. Martin calls that the gardener, where they themselves don't even know how the story will play out until opportunity sprouts itself. I find it fascinating how I've been doing that my whole life in my head as a day dreamer. One day, I took the leap to actually put it on paper and found that it's just a natural process for me. Living out the characters' lives as if they were my own, experiencing things as they flow through naturally. Of course, that also means that many, many revisions will be made over the course of the project in order to iron out the traces of your train of thought into something more coherent, but it's such a joy:)
57:10 i needed these 2 min so much today. to know u still have doubt helps me too, and to know the art will always be a pleasure when it kicks in, which i suspected, is infinitely inspiring
Marvelous! I worry that these livestreams are incoherent and useless - how great to hear that it made a difference for you!!
I love your content, man. Thank you! Keep it up.
Thank you so much!!!
Amazing
:)
I’m so grateful for your help and I ask my guardian angel to visit your guardian angel to help you in turn.
I definitely feel better-angel-d for this!
Thanks for the great video, Glenn! They were two excellent questions and very well answered. A lot of the screenwriting 'teachers' would be better telling us how to rewrite something instead of telling us their 10 steps to an awesome screenplay! Which does suggest that perhaps, if you ever fancy another Step By Step series, watching you doing a 're-write' of someone else's script based on 'notes' would be a really cool thing to do. Maybe pick a well known film, and we can see how you would make the changes according to notes taken from a critical review? I also appreciate that you have a life, and have better things to do!
I will put it on my things-to-do list! This is of course a long list...but getting on there is the first step :)
Is it common to have answers for the 6 questions in regards your story to start with but then have some completely different answers based on the outcome of what happens in the story? Hope this make sense…
Yes, it does make sense - and yes, while I don't know if it's common, it's certainly valid. The whole point of these questions is simply to help a writer have SOMEthing to hold on to in their process. But everyone works differently, and if the experience you describe is working for you - enjoy it!
Love your channel! Thank you for doing what you do!
Thank YOU, so much! I really appreciate this.
Never thought that when we're writing we should consider the question of whether is this part of the story, is it narrative or drama. Because some parts of the story could be more related to narrative like when characters are speaking, or drama like a fight scene. Thank you, for your great videos as always!
What if the person asking you to take a pass @ the screenplay, IS the writer. Due to an expertise I have, a screenwriter who is an acquaintance level colleague, wrote a screenplay that has to be revised due to a recent release, to which the film is now too similar. So he wrote a screenplay from scratch. He's asked my input (an impending co-write), as the final work is guaranteed to be considered by the former star of Cinemax's "The Knick" and the director of "Ocean's Eleven"? IMO, his version is middling
I would be very wary of doing this. If you do: have you worked out a plan for dividing credit and money? What if it actually sells and brings in money - would you be fine to say, "nah, you take it all buddy?" Have a WRITTEN AGREEMENT that you both are good with. But also: what are you getting out of this? It's WORK. What would you think about a person who said, "Hey, I'm working at a supermarket now and I'm not too experienced - you have worked in supermarkets before - would you come and work in my place for a couple of weeks?" Unless you are getting to fully, legally and financially collaborate: what is the purpose of this plan? He's getting credit for something he didn't do, and you're doing work for nothing. If you can make it better and be co-writer, and you want to choose that as the work you are doing for this part of your life, it feels creatively interesting...sure, do it. Otherwise: no.
@@writingforscreens This is what I thought you would say, given the advice you gave during the live. I really never write on spec. Not even solo. If I decide to work on his screenplay as a co-writer, it would be under a written agreement, and WGA regs. And an agreed upon money split before the fact. Not saying I'm gonna do it. To answer what I'm getting out of it 1) possible feature credit 2) the original writer has known about me for several years, I'd like to leverage his relationship to Soderbergh and Andre Holland 3) $ if it gets produced
@@bijanbayne3259 That makes sense, especially if you feel you have a good idea for how to fix it and you would be doing the thing that you do well. That's the thing about getting attention of the bigger players who are circling things: you have to really bring something. If your collaborator isn't going to feel threatened, that can be fun then.
@@writingforscreens This is the thing. Revising it w/o bruising his ego
@@bijanbayne3259 A real collaboration should allow both people to be pretty honest and free to be themselves. Try to be upfront about what you want to do, see if he understands. If you're trying to do what you want by somehow "getting around him" you are in essence kind of using him...which isn't, in artistic situations, always wrong - but the problem is 90% of the time when we try to work around people...it doesn't work. They fight it, they mess it up, you can't pull it off like you think. Just my experience, of course. But I'd try honest first :)
Hi Glenn, thanks for the videos. I was thinking it would be interesting to hear your opinions/advice on writing specific genres. Usually writing advice is general and abstract by necessity, but I think it would be interesting to have a bit more specific advice, or your thought process on specific genres (thriller, romcom, etc.).
I'm not sure that I have specific thoughts...if I did, it would be about writing a specific project, and thus not helpful. Each genre is actually a big, complex world with many subdivisions and a history. I would definitely advise you to plunge into any genre you are wanting to work in, for love and for craft. There's stuff I like or don't like in genres I guess, but that's just my opinion. My personal process for working in any genre is: love the genre, explore it, find what you want to do with it that's going to be your particular vision.
That’s maybe a lot of information, but that’s also great advices. Thanks for the video, and I’ll think I’ll focus on dissecting the stories I love (which I always wanted to do but you gave me the motivation) ❤
Thank you so much!
That's more than a great lecture about screenwriting.. It's philosophy of life. Great work, Glenn ！
Thank you so much!!
Missed it live but watched it all after. Loved it Glenn. Think I’ll start work on a new script tomorrow.
That is the BEST thing I could possibly hear in response to my work here. Thank you!
@@writingforscreens 3 pages done at breakfast. We’re off. Now gonna rewatch dramatic action video again. Thanks Glenn.
After 7 years, this is the most liberating writing video i've come across.
Thank you so much!!!
I think I found it: kzread.info/dash/bejne/mYdquNCterLPotI.htmlfeature=shared
Yes, indeed you did!
Great video as always! I'd like to ask a question that I haven't seen many answers to. I'm currently working on a screenplay for an art-house genre story. For reference, I'm particularly inspired by directors like Tarkovsky and Bresson. The way I envision my movie, a lot of the scenes will be deliberately slow and poetic-focused rather than driving the narrative or dialogue. I would ideally like to shop my screenplay around for funding to direct it myself. My question is, for these kind of scenes, how much should I be writing with the expectation of trying to wow the reader? For example, if I was aiming for that, I'd be spending a lot of lines describing in flowery language exactly what each scene would look like. But if the aim of the screenplay is more practical, then I don't see why I'd bother with that since it's a lot more meaningful use of my energy to just write a one line bare-boned description of what's happening -- after all, the real "work" on those scenes would really be done in storyboarding and production design and such -- any added flowery language would really only be for the reader/producer/funder's benefit and not any practical purpose. I know what mainstream Hollywood would expect since they require a lot more pair of eyes before anyone will fork over millions of dollars -- I'm just curious, what the expectation is in the more underground and low-budget end of the industry.
Not really a "right or wrong" answer to this. In general, I think large amounts of words are not looked kindly upon by script readers. But that doesn't mean you can't describe things, nor that you can't write things that are silent, slow or poetic. I personally would just try to find a poetic screenwriting language - something spare, using paragraph breaks and white space to create time and pace on the page. Experiment with it. Also: really think about ways to lower the budget, so that you don't need anyone to give you millions of dollars. You NEVER get millions of dollars without compromise and commercial "input." If you want to control the style and pace, and/or if you want to direct: DIY and ultra-low-budge are pretty much the only way. Once you've done a few of those, you may be able to use them to get those millions.
Listening to you talk about writing always inspires me even though I'm still struggling with writers block. I love how you said being empathetic is important as a writer. I am very empathetic and people have told me I am too sensitive a lot...so it's good to know that's a good quality to have as a writer. You are a very lovely person. Thank you and keep being you! :)
Thank you so much - with this kind of encouragement and support, I am highly motivated to keep being me :) Sometimes writer's block means you need a break, or to try something different. Don't give up. Take small steps. Experiment, explore, do things because they're fun or interesting or impossible. Ask questions. Steer toward things you like or love, with low expectations and an open mind. It's all about small steps over time.
Oh, and about being "too sensitive" - I try to think of that as not being about having feelings (we don't control whether we have feelings!) it's about recognizing the places and people and moments that have room for our feelings, and the ones that don't. If there's no room, try to put them somewhere personal, maybe make notes for yourself or find some private time to express them in private ways. Being real about what others can give (or take) is often helpful, even if it's not what you want or expect. Look for ways to deal with your feelings that you can own, that don't require anyone else's permission or approval...often if you know you have a place to let your feelings out, then they are less urgent in the rest of your life. It's all about balance, never about right-or-wrong.
About those ratings given to movies at places like Rotten Tomatoes, I think they say a lot more about the viewers than they do the film. I just saw an amazing thriller-horror movie called "Seeing Evil" (2019), which has a user rating of 3.3 at IMdB. Apparently, a lot of the audience just didn't get it, especially the ending of the film--which was the really amazing part. That low rating doesn't mean the film isn't great because it is and it is also unique.
Definitely. Everyone's experience of art is different, and unless you know what the "rater" was looking for, what's the value of the rating?
Thanks Glenn!
You're welcome!!
This video is so in-depth and packed with exactly the kind of information I was searching for. Great presentation! And the outtakes were very humorous! I am looking forward to going through all of your videos more than once. Thx so much.
Thank YOU so much! A message like this the whole reason I made this channel, and I am so very glad to know you're getting useful ideas from it. If you have questions, feel free to ask them here in the comments, I will do my best to answer!
Wish I could like every video a million times. Thank you so much Mr. Gers!
I wish you could too!!! Thank YOU :)
You mentioned that your novel has about 150 scenes. Did you have an outline for every scene ready before you began writing the first draft, or did you start with fewer scenes and add more after the first draft? Additionally, at some point, you will need to group scenes into chapters. Have you done that already? Do you have any advice on how to do this? I am outlining all my scenes and have difficulties deciding when a chapter ends and a new one starts. Maybe you could include advice on this in your next progress report? 🙏🏻☺️
This project is unusual for me, because I worked on it intermittently for decades. I would put it aside for years at a time, and then come back to it. So there was a period when I made an outline, which felt complete but was not...and then wrote about 75 pages of rough draft. I found many scenes were not ready to be written, that I had not figured out what they were about. But in that original 75 pages, I did find the narrator's "voice" - especially in the first 20 pages, which were the most thoroughly-outlined. I then set it aside for years, because there was too much that was vague and didn't seem to be working. Recently, about two years ago, I went back to it. I have outlined every scene. I then tried to write a rough draft of all that. I quickly discovered that even though I had made an outline - there were still many questions I had not solved. So I finished writing the rough draft, even though much or it was apallingly bad. It was now 300 pages. Now I could go back through and ask: why is this scene not working? What do I not yet know about the action of each character, the progress they are making, etc. That is what I have been doing the past month or so. I went through the outline again, thinking about each character's personal situation in each scene. Now I am once again going through the rough draft, and trying to write some rough, sketchy version of all those new insights. My goal is to get a ROUGH version of everything, so I can stop looking at the outline, and then work on each scene in the text. As to where a chapter begins or ends...that is a whole other question. I will try to think about it and discuss it in a livestream soon.
Great video and great advice! I remember the first notes I received, which were from the teacher who's class I had attended. It was an early draft of an early script, but I felt his 'advice' was mostly him telling me how he would have written the script, which I didn't find too helpful. Later on I sent a script to some paid reader services, which was very useful - both highlighted a similar problem and it was fairly straight forward to read the 'note behind the note', and would recommend it to people who have got to a point where they don't know how to improve what they have. I do worry that one day I will get my big break and then get asked to change my main character from a woman in her early 20s to a man in his late 70s or something, but I guess that's why the pro's get paid the big bucks! Also, that jazz piece in the outtakes was 10/10! When will we get to see you at Monterey?
Thank you! Good to know, about paid readers. Yes, I perform under assumed names at jazz clubs 🤣
I love the note at 59:14. The question is about "justifying" some wacky worldbuilding and the answer is basically "who cares about justifying the worldbuilding, justify the characters". I think it's a great answer.
Thanks! (Though it's not too wacky to worry about world-building-vs-storytelling...it's a common problem, and I don't even think there's a "right answer." It's whatever-works-for-each-artist.)
I find it so funny/depressing that some of the most useful writer advice is learning how to manage the egos of the money people. I've heard this same advice for writers working on video-games.
Yes - I suspect that cathedral-architects and cave-painters may have wrestled with the same issues :) There's an inherent struggle in all collaborations, and I think it's kind of a miracle that anything gets done at all!
Terrific advice and can see you’ve had to learn pain of navigating taking notes in your own career. Last nights live stream on this subject was great. Now thinking about notes that get it made, paid and when not to take notes:
Everything is always a balance of goals, fears and realities...
That giant mechanical spider turned up in Wild Wild West with Will Smith.
Indeed it did!
Glenn, always a pleasure! And love your intros! 😅😁🤙
Thank you!!
The hardest thing is when someone says "You didn't do X" and then you can point to it on page 3. Then they get wrapped up in defending themselves while they've just lost all credibility. I once listened to someone in a writing group who thought my main character was a dwarf, and I had to calmly explain that she must have been talking about someone else.
Yeah, sometimes it's hard not to just launch into a tirade when someone's criticism is so unrelated to the work. Calm is good.
I once got the note: protagonist is too indifferent at the beginning, too boring in the middle and then changes into a fighter too sudden in the climax. I tried to explain that the protagonist tries to ignore the changes around her to not have to leave her safe bubble etc. Eventually, (after taking a two-week breath about it 😅) I translated that note into: my protagonist needs to be more active and the inner struggle of the decision to take action when she is forced to needs to be more clear on the page. But before I came to that conclusion I almost dismissed the note entirely, thinking: this note-giver just doesn't understand the story (the struggle to accept that she is the one who needs to right the wrong in front of her when no one else will). It's a fine line to make the right decision about a note, especially when at first glance it just throws random-sounding critique at you and I think your video is helping there a lot. Thank you so much for this insight. 😊
That's a wonderful example of this process of translating notes into something you can work with!
Great video! And just in the right time for me in my process. I have an issue with re-writes though, that I would like to hear thoughts about. I find it so overwhelming when I want to change something in the story and it has the "butterfly effect" on everything else. How do you approach that? Perhaps it's a dumb question, but it's something I wrestle with right now, and need comfort... :) All the best and THANK YOU for an amazing channel!
Try to just "think in scenes" when the butterfly effect seems too awful. Try to narrow it down to scenes, lines...make it concrete and practical, and sometimes that butterfly-induced hurricane will shrink back down to a manageable wind. Regarding rewrites, did you see this video: Rewriting - kzread.info/dash/bejne/eq2cmrmeYMeodKQ.html
@@writingforscreens Thank you so much! I needed that. One thing at a time.
Thank you immensely for this. Just had a table read for my script and I had been conflicted on some f the notes that were given. This video came at the perfect time!
I'm very glad to hear this!
I'm sorry, english is not my first language. Can u add english subtitle, it made me understand more while watching your video. I really love your content❤❤. Thank u
I will try - thank you for making the effort, I am really appreciative.
Thank you Glenn! 'Notes' are like sailing around the world with your own little map, and having people change the map over and over! Useful if they know the ocean, tides, winds and geography of a specific location:) I appreciate your ability to succinctly summarise decades of understanding into bite-size gems. Not taking notes personally is definitely a skill, as is not getting emotional about them:)
It's a full time job, not-taking-notes personally :) I agree about your metaphor. Thank you for your support!
@@writingforscreens 😁Right?🤨
Thank you. Exactly what I am needing to hear.
Wonderful, I'm so glad!
Hmm. While the first 13 minutes makes a ton of sense in many different directions, the last 26 seconds (outtakes) still makes more sense than pretty much anything most elected officials have said all year.
Yes - thank you, I am considering running for president and making that my platform :)
And on the day the U.K. declared its calling an election too. 😉
@@artofadamlumb952 I swear I had nothing to do with that! 🤣
@@writingforscreens 😂
And as far as notes are concerned, I see them more as “suggestions” (unless they come from an IP you don’t own, then they’re mandates). And with suggestions, you leave the gun and take the cannoli! (“The Godfather” reference there!) Meaning you take the notes that make sense or have an impact and figure out how to incorporate those and leave the notes that don’t make sense to you out.
Yes - exactly!!
Very useful insight, thank you!
Thank you!!!!
ANDDDD omg 21k subs. Congrats good sir!!! 🎉🍾👏🏻
I know, right?!